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    WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino dies at the age of 82

    TWMWrestlingBy Updated:4 Mins Read

    The wrestling world is in a state of mourning, as one of the most legendary figures in the history of the industry, Bruno Sammartino, passed away today at the age of 82.

    WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2013 inductee, Bruno Sammartino passed away with his wife Carol, and his sons, Daryl and Dan by his side. Details are scarce at the moment, but it is thought he passed away from complications due to some health issues he’d been dealing with for a couple of months.

    Bruno is one of the biggest names in the history of professional wrestling, stretching the world over even to those not fans of the medium. Only the second-ever WWE World Heavyweight Champion, he defeated Buddy Rogers on May 17, 1963 and held the title for an incredible 2803 days (8 years), a record that still stands 55 years later.

    He also sold out Madison Square Garden a staggering 188 times, more than any other person in history.

    Born in Italy, Sammartino spent his adult life in Pittsburgh, PA but his life story is a harrowing tale of tragedy, a tale of incredible survival, and inspirational success. He grew up in the small town of Pizzoferrato, but the life of his family changed dramatically when Nazi troops invaded the town during World War II. Sammartino’s father had already moved to Pittsburgh for work, which left his mother Emilia to literally save the lives of the rest of the family. Literally minutes away from death by Nazi firing squad, she scrambled the family and moved them into hiding in the mountains above their town.

    His father would reunite with the family in 1950 in Pittsburgh.

    During Bruno’s tenure with WWE through much of the 1960s and ’70s, Bruno headlined a total of 211 events at the famed Manhattan arena. In those days, WWE ran shows at the Garden every month, meaning close to 20,000 fans lined up at the ticket booth every four weeks for their chance to see the mighty Italian. Dastardly opponents like the fearsome Toru Tanaka and the depraved Original Sheik fell before Bruno in front of capacity crowds, earning MSG yet another nickname — “The House That Bruno Built.”

    Bruno’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013, inducted by his close friend Arnold Schwarzenegger, brought Sammartino’s sell-outs to a staggering 188.

    There is so much to tell about the legendary Bruno Sammartino’s career. An incredible article by the late John Volino of the Professional Wrestling Historical Society covers a lot of his story, but many books have been written about the man, and his tale is surely worthy of a Hollywood movie.

    As the news broke in wrestling circles, tributes began pouring in from figures throughout the industry:

    Quick facts about Bruno Sammartino you may not know:

    He set a bench press world record in 1955
    He spent the entirety of his career as a babyface
    He held the WWE Chanpionship for a total of 4040 days
    He was the first-ever two-time WWE Champion
    He headlined three shows at Shea Stadium
    Pop singer Bruno Mars is named after him

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